Is oolong tea a low histamine option for individuals with histamine intolerance?

Oolong Tea and Histamine Intolerance

Oolong tea is considered a low-histamine option for individuals with histamine intolerance, with research showing it can actually suppress histamine production at lower concentrations compared to green tea. 1

Understanding Histamine Intolerance

Histamine intolerance results from an imbalance between accumulated histamine and the body's capacity to degrade it, primarily through the enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO). When histamine accumulates beyond what the body can process, various symptoms can occur across multiple organ systems, mimicking allergic reactions 2.

Oolong Tea's Histamine Profile

• Research specifically examining used tea leaves found that oolong tea extracts can suppress histamine production at concentrations as low as 25%, which is more effective than green tea (which required 50% concentration for similar effects) 1
• Unlike fermented foods which are unanimously excluded from low-histamine diets due to their high histamine content, tea processing methods impact histamine levels differently 3
• Oolong tea undergoes partial oxidation, placing it between non-fermented green tea and fully fermented black tea in terms of processing

Dietary Management for Histamine Intolerance

A low-histamine diet is the gold standard for managing histamine intolerance 4. When considering beverages:

• Recommended beverages:

  • Fresh water
  • Fresh fruit juices from low-histamine fruits
  • Oolong tea (shown to suppress histamine production) 1

• Beverages to avoid:

  • Alcoholic beverages (especially wine and beer)
  • Fermented drinks (kombucha, kefir)
  • Citrus juices (may interfere with histamine degradation) 3

Pharmacological Support

For individuals with significant symptoms, pharmacological interventions may be helpful alongside dietary changes:

• Combined H1 and H2 antihistamine therapy can help control histamine-related symptoms 5
• Second-generation H1 antihistamines (cetirizine, fexofenadine, loratadine) are preferred over first-generation due to less sedation 5
• DAO enzyme supplements may be considered as supportive treatment for those with intestinal DAO deficiency 4

Implementation Approach

1. Start with a 4-week elimination diet that excludes high-histamine foods and includes low-histamine options like oolong tea 5
2. Monitor symptoms during this period to establish baseline improvement
3. Gradually reintroduce individual foods/beverages to identify personal triggers
4. Consider oolong tea as part of your regular beverage options if well-tolerated

Important Considerations

• Individual tolerance varies significantly among those with histamine intolerance 5
• Freshness matters - even low-histamine foods can develop histamine during storage 5
• The histamine content of tea may vary based on processing, storage, and preparation methods
• Some individuals may need to avoid all forms of caffeine, regardless of histamine content

Oolong tea appears to be one of the better tea options for those with histamine intolerance, but as with all foods and beverages in this condition, individual response should be monitored carefully.